Page 4 of A Sea of Secrets
“Fuck!” I barked. I jumped to my feet and dusted myself down, shaking my body desperately to remove the tiny crawling bugs. I fought back rising vomit, gagging at the knowledge that those bugs had been on me for an unclear amount of time. I didn’t even want to think about how long I’d been knocked out and lying amongst them, or where they could have possibly crawled along or in. I shuddered.
The sickening crunch of bugs under my feet had me hurry away from my waking spot until I heard the crunch of gravel underfoot instead. My eyes adjusted and I saw rows of hedges formed walls around me, directing my path. There was no sign of the others, nor any other Potential. As far as I was aware, I was alone. For how long that would be the case, I had no idea. Judging by my surroundings, I deduced this was the Trial ofthe Mind, which meant that I needed to keep my wits about me more than ever.
A cool breeze blew by, brushing up against my arms and rustling the leaves to reveal bright crimson beneath their dark red tops, making the hedges appear as though they were blood-speckled. I continued along the path, taking multiple turns and retracing my steps at dead ends. Instantly, the word ‘maze’ came to mind. I mean, why else would there be hedged pathways?
I reached out a hand, running my fingers along the wall to my right as I continued. My senses were on alert after the bug bed with every movement and sound distinct. The crush of the small stones beneath my boots, the light breeze that fluttered the hedge leaves, my breath as it passed through my lips, and even the shifting fabric of my loose-fitting trousers with my movement seemed magnified.
My first instinct was to find Fallon and the others. If I was going to survive this trial, I needed to be in a group with the people I trusted to watch my back. I had no idea how to locate them but finding my way out of the maze was my first priority. The Overseer would be pulling out all the stops in this trial to test not only our knowledge but our problem solving too.
Thankfully, I was confident in my ability to succeed in both.
If I had to guess, it had only been a few hours since we’d celebrated what should have been a reprieve after the second trial. We had deserved a chance to relax and unwind and reconnect to the good parts of ourselves; the pieces that were slowly being eroded by this place. We trusted that we would be given time to rest and mend after such ordeals.
How wrong we had been.
Even if we had been given the time to recuperate, the murders across the grounds kept everyone on edge anyway. They were a constant reminder that no one was safe. In the trials, death was inevitable, yet in the academy, we weresupposed to be shielded to some extent. Fights and bullying behaviour were expected as long as the Potentials remained breathing, and their heart still beat in their chest. We were otherwise allowed to torment each other to our heart’s content. It was the smallest of graces given from the ordeal of fighting for a crown during the trials. At least, that was the way things were supposed to be until the bodies started appearing. That speck of safety had been stolen.
The academy was not immune to the outside world and its politics at play. There was so much more happening beyond a royal title being fought for. This was only made clearer by the Potentials falling victim to some unknown assassin while our guards were down and framing Fallon for the crime. But nothing remained a secret forever. Until the assassin was found and their employer discovered, we would no doubt witness more murders outside the trials. Victoria would not be the last victim.
This thought reminded me… I stuffed my hand into my pocket, retrieving a small silver coin. I turned it over, examining the symbol on one side: a circle with a cross in the middle. It looked familiar, but I couldn’t place where I’d seen it before. The hooded attacker had dropped it whilst fleeing and I’d quickly snatched it up. I didn’t know what it meant, but it was a clue I would investigate as soon as this trial was over.
I popped the coin back into my pocket and contemplated the symbol while I searched for any sign of other Potentials as I walked through the maze. Despite not seeing anyone, there was a growing feeling that I wasn’t alone. Never thought I was one to be scared of what I couldn’t see, but fear crept in, nonetheless.
Someone or something was watching, and it wasn’t the bugs. At one point, I felt a light caress of warm air on the back of my neck, like a breath, and quickly spun around only to find no one there.
I was tempted to use my invisibility but the idea of roaming around naked purely because I was paranoid seemed like a bad idea. Not to mention I didn’t want to exhaust my already lacklustre energy supplies. We weren’t supposed to have the use of our magic in this trial. I guess the Masters hadn’t thought to check my chip when I was knocked out, not that they would have examined my person. As far as I could tell, they’d merely removed our cuffs so we couldn’t communicate with each other.
I suppose one gets careless with repetition. The chips were programmed remotely so that a simple flick of a switch from a control point meant the Potentials’ magic and metahuman traits were effectively blocked. So, their lack of diligence meant I still had my invisibility and healing powers. It was a careless mistake on their part.
Their loss was my gain.
I pushed on, determined to get out of the increasingly creepy maze and be done with the trial. I’d come so far and I wasn’t about to let a bit of fear keep me from finishing what I’d started. There was too much at stake.
Left, right, left again… the maze continued in a seemingly endless configuration. The hedges towered beside me, leaving me with only the purple sky above and the ground beneath my feet to look at. Black birds flew overhead, squawking as they passed. Their appearance was ominous; harbingers for what the trial held in store for us no doubt. Yet nothing had happened to me since the bugs. Still, the expectation of something to come kept me on edge, my senses heightened, and the blood in my veins pumping hard.
Would there be monsters? Magic? Both? The Trial of the Mind could bring any form of obstacle to overcome.
It was only a matter of time until I knew what.
“Run!” A voice cracked through the air, startling me.
I scanned my surroundings, eyes wide. Despite my instincts telling me to do as the voice said, I held my ground. I would get naked and use my invisibility but hold my ground, nonetheless. I quickly stripped and then let my power flow over me, pressing my back to the hedge while I waited. I realised my discarded clothes were too conspicuous and quickly kicked them under the hedge.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
More shouts echoed from the direction I had just come, the sound of fear and desperation increasing with each second. My heart rate and breathing increased as I listened.
Thud, thud.
Thud, thud.
Thud, thud.
The pounding of feet drew closer, footsteps getting faster and faster like a sickening drum beat counting down to whatever awaited me. The maze twisted and turned, prohibiting me from seeing who was coming. But I didn’t need to see. My ears heard each step as they got closer.
